The Imperial Union
The Imperial Union is a large and devout nation and the fact that they have a Socialist society hasn't impeded its economic growth. The people there are friendly, and hardworking; and everyone works hard not for their own personal profit, but for the Glory of the Empire. The nation is also quite large, and has a large and powerful military. __TOC__ History The Age of Strife The Age of Strife(as it is referred to by The Imperial Union) is the largest armed conflict in human history. Billions dead, many more wounded. This war was begun by the Imperial Union and ended with the destruction of "Old Europe" and the Americas, which all broke up into millions of other nations. Thus began the new age. The Age of the Imperium. The Age of the Imperium A new age has begun. An age of Tyranny. An age of Democracy. An age of Corporate domination. An age of Utopian freedom. An age of Peace and an age of War. An age of nations. This age, known to the IU as "The Age of the Imperium," is only the 2nd of the 4 prophetisized "Ages" to come. During this time, the empire has rapidly formed its alliances and enemies, and has grown at a remarkable rate. The territories it acquired during The Age of Strife have been divided into sections; each with its own dedicated purpose. The Age of Reclamation The Age of Reclamation is the Age that follows The Age of the Imperium. It is prophetisized that The Reclaimer will be reincarnated as "Legion the VII" that is the 7th Emperor to once again lead the Massive Armies of the Imperium to, this time, World Domination. After this, The Imperial Union will proceed to conquer entire Worlds in the Name of Mankind until everything has been "reclaimed" by Man, the Rightful Owners of the Universe, thus bringing Mankind into The Age of Awakening. It is highly believed that Artemis Legion VII the current Emperor is the Prophetisized reincarnation of The Reclaimer. The Age of Awakening The Age of Awakening is the Age that follows The Age of Reclamation and represents the final chapter in the History of Man. Even the Ancient Prophesies aren’t clear on exactly what will go on during this age and what will become of Mankind and It's Empire, but man believe that Mankind will become Gods themselves, thus, the Ordo Imperialis belief that mankind is God. Government The Government is all-powerful. But the people don't mind, the government always knows best. They know and trust indefinitely in the Emperor, especially the current one, Artemis Legion VII. He is loved by everyone in the nation, and is viewed with great reverence as a God, like every Emperor before him. The Government genuinely cares for its people, and despite all the horrific-seeming decisions it sometimes makes, the people know it is for their own good, and all shall be...well... The Emperor The current Emperor of The Imperial Union is Artemis Legion VII (there have been no other Artemis Legions in the history of the nation, but the name "Legion" has been used by the 2nd emperor onward, some believe the first, but his name was simply The Reclaimer) the 1st was the founder The Reclaimer, and there have been 6 since him. The ancient prophesy says that after the 6 have come to pass, the 7th shall rule for times and times of times, for the 7th is the reincarnation of The Reclaimer himself, and he shall bring the Empire into The Age of Reclamation. Emperor Artemis is strongly believed to be The Reclaimer's incarnation because he shares all that traits that The Reclaimer himself had (6 traits, 6 Emperors, 1 Reclaimer) thus, he is believed to bring the nation into The Age of Reclamation. He is a very good Emperor, he is kind, wise, and He is also a brilliant tactician and fighter, thus the Imperial belief that leaders should lead from the front lines is honored by Artemis Legion VII, who, after years of combat, has acquired a long, noticeable scar on his right cheek, from his jaw to his fore head passing through his eye, that is shockingly similar to the one carried by The Reclaimer himself until the day of his Death. The Emperor is believed to be the living Embodiment of the Nation's wrath, power and Spirit. The Emperor is expected to be cold, ruthless, a brilliant tactician, but also a "people person" who is loved by the people and makes every choice for the good of the people. The Emperor lives in the Imperial palace, in the Imperial City the headquarters and the brain of the nation itself. He makes speeches, signs laws, and does everything the nation needs. He has a "Council of the Wise" which assists him in his decisions but, ultimately the choices are up to him. When an Emperor dies, another is created; every single Emperor in the history of the nation has been created from the genetic material of The Reclaimer but his genetic material, for reasons unknown; decays rapidly and the Scientists are forced to modify and perfect, in hopes that they may someday finally produce, the Reincarnation of The Reclaimer himself. The Council of the Sages These are made up of the Emperor's most trusted advisors. There are seven in all, typically they serve for life, but the Emperor has been known to make exceptions, especially when the will of the people is involved. They assist the Emperor in his duties as ruler and may or may not have specific responsibilities that the Emperor may entrust them with. Normally they have the ability to make minor decisions but even so they normally bring the matter to the Emperor to see if he approves of it, after all the decisions are ultimately up to him. Military The Imperial Military is made up of two Legions, each 10-15 million strong. It is highly effective and well trained. Imperial Navy The Imperial Navy mainly concerns itself with aerospace advancements lately (IU mainly seeks to establish space superiority) but they still have a formidable fleet of ships. Most formidable of all are the Imperial Cruisers: impossibly powerful ships of gargantuan proportions, but the rest of the fleet is highly effective as well. They concern themselves with the transport of troops, sea superiority and continental defense. Imperial Army The Imperial Army has a large and glorious history. The troopers are so well trained and so effective that even the basic Conscript is more than a match for other nations' special forces. Clad in their gas masks and HEC (hazardous environment combat) suit, they form the terrifying backbone of the Military. They are formed into squads which carry several different specialists and tactical troopers such as the Apothecary (Medical Officer), Chaplain (Spiritual Leader), snipers, gunners, rocket jockeys, flamers and the like. for every 5 squads there is a Commissar. Clad in their black leather trench coats and medals, Commissars are heroes of multiple campaigns, terrifying figures of ruthless authority and merciless cunning. They are authorized to use deadly force to make sure the goals of the officers are achieved. The Imperial troopers carry a variety of weapons into combat. From the standard armor-piercing 7.52 millimeter semi/full-auto IM-49 Tactical "Enforcer," to the 50 millimeter, semi-automatic IM-72 "Executor" armor-piercing sniper rifle, to assorted anti-tank ordnance, flame-throwers, mines, knives, grenades, and pistols. But the most awe-inspiring of these deadly troopers are the Angels of Reclamation. Most beatific and ruthless of the troopers, they stand 8 feet tall, clad in REDEEMER class bio-mechanical armor, they are abducted from their Parents as children and forced into a brutal training regime of which less than 25% survive. They are deployed to different spots on the map through TARE (Tactical Atmospheric Re-Entry vehicle) pod orbital drops that would kill ordinary humans. However only they can perform these due to their super-human resilience and hardened skeletal structure. Their utility ranges from silent, efficient assassinations and reconnaissance to all out warfare and assault. They are the ultimate in Human Warfare, Angels of Death who bring Righteous Fire to the enemies of The Imperial Union. Economy The Imperial Union has a powerful economy. They have a Socialist society (as opposed to Communism, which is one kind of socialism) known as the Ordo Imperialis: a social, political, and economical philosophy. The economy is largely powerful, but does not have as much "free" cash to throw around, as citizens pay 100% of their income as taxes and the Government invests so much in its people. The government is big on production of military and capital, and the Nations many Forges and Industrial Grounds reach high into the sky "as if to build a bridge to Heaven, so that we may conquer it as well" (-Dante Legion IV). But the nation also invests what cruel nations would say is "too much" money into the production of consumer and domestic goods. But as every citizen knows "Government is here to protect you," and as Amadeus Legion II once said "Happy people are productive people, give them what they need and they will give back." Currency The Currency of the Imperial Union is the Imperial Sanction. It is largely a certificate of redemption, in paper (see "Society") but it exists in even greater numbers as electronic data in The Imperial Database for Public Currency. The Government authorizes regular monthly payments of varying amounts per individual, based on each and every individual’s performance and productiveness: the hardworking ones receive more than the lazy ones. But it also Gives Imperial Sanctions on request for larger, more expensive items not sold at the basic goods stores. These larger Sanctions (see "Society") are non-redeemable in any Non-Imperial Union country, as opposed to the smaller "paper" kind (more on that later) as it is impossible to judge their real value for any non-Imperial Union nation in accurate, practical means. The paper kind is more flexible and is widely used for domestic and basic goods such as toiletry articles, food, and other necessities., and can be carried into other countries (all Imperial Union nations use the Imperial Sanction). Society The Imperial Union is famed throughout its region for having the smartest, happiest, most compassionate citizens; the lowest crime rate, the lowest death rate and the best healthcare, education system and police force. This is due largely to the Imperial Union's one-of-a-kind socialist system; Those who criticize the Ordo Imperialis and its Socialist way of thinking know not the many benefits of living in such a society. The Government provides free healthcare, college and grad school education, food service, housing, transportation, and even luxury. Everything in the Imperial Union is paid for by the Government. Of course, those who leech of society without working as hard as others also receive their just recompense, solving the problem that has plagued Socialist thought since it was first conceived. The Government (the Ordo Statisticus in particular) has painstakingly extensive records on every single effort performed by a citizen. Those who are hardworking, productive members of society are rewarded by being granted their wishes, similar to a Capitalist system, where one can buy ones desires. Every day, the Officio of Production and Distribution processes millions of requests for luxury items ranging from XBOX 360's (procured from the absorption of Microsoft into an Imperial Corporation) to jewelry. Those eligible to receive certificates of redemption for their requested items (eligibility received by how productive and hardworking you have been) rapidly go to their nearest Distributor, where they can procure the item that they wish. In this way, the Government rewards the loyal and hardworking while still giving the public everything they need. The public, on the other hand works diligently and contently, trusting in what the Government tells them and working for "the Glory of the Empire." While attendance to the Imperial Church is not mandatory, most (if not all citizens), will visit at least once a week, where they pray to the Machine God, the Food God and most importantly: Man. They offer sacrifices to their ancestors, and pray to the dead and the living that they guide and protect each individual through his or her day. After all, are we not God? National Animal The Nation's national animal, the Giant Spider, is a huge, awesome creature created deep in the labs of the Officio Sciencies decades ago. It can grow to be as big as a house, but such giants are rarely seen, only in the deepest part of the wilderness, as they can take centuries to grow this large. Most commonly seen they are the size of large dogs, and people keep them as pets. They are aggressive, and carnivorous, but after being brought up since they were spiderlings, they are loving and friendly creatures. Also, they are useful for home defense against intruders, but are taught NEVER to attack Police squads, as they are authorized to use lethal force against these dangerous creatures. They are kind, loyal and extremely faithful, especially with children, which makes them an excellent "watchdog" for small children, intelligent enough to seek help should something happen to their charge. They are often observed making strange, chittering noises and can be taught to repeat phrases, they are largely social creatures and can often be observed in large groups. Interesting Facts * The Imperial City is located in what used to be Armenia (the country from which the Imperial Union was created). It spans across the entire ex-country. The rest of the Empire spans across many different territories former belonging to conquered enemies. The city is the "base of operations" for the nation. It is heavily defended by turrets, flak cannons, and the Emperors Elite body Guards, "The Praetorians." The city is a magnificent display of Imperial Power. *The Giant Spider, the nations national animal, is frequently used in large, gladiatorial battles between them; and neighboring ally Vemorsia's national animal the Battlecrab. Both are rumored to be created by Imperial Scientists and both are large, many legged creatures whose spectacles are amusing to watch. Neither species has an advantage when it comes to fighting the other, as the spider is a large, venomous creature with a chitonous carapace and the crab is heavily armored and its pincers can crush steel cables. They are, in a nutshell, very evenly matched. *The Imperial Union has conquered many nations which have, since then, been absorbed into its Empire. A few of these include, The Principality of Maxtopia (now known as the Deathworld of Amadeus Legion, named after it's conqueror the 2nd Emperor) and surprisingly, The Comglomerated Corporations of Arogia, the nation who was responsible for the Death of The Reclaimer during The Age of Strife Category:Nations